Thursday, September 06, 2007

Pg. 69: Michelle Gagnon's "The Tunnels"

An old, abandoned tunnel system beneath a prestigious New England college becomes the gruesome stalking ground of a serial killer…. The crime scenes are grim and otherworldly. The bodies of two female students are found mutilated and oddly positioned in the dark labyrinth beneath the school-haunting symbols painted on the walls above them. In her decade tracking serial killers, FBI special agent Kelly Jones has seen some of the worst humanity can inflict. Yet the tragedy unfolding at her alma mater chills her to the bone. Evidence suggests there is a connection between the victims-daughters of powerful men. And elements of the killings point to a dark, ancient ritual. As the body count rises, so do the stakes. The killer is taunting Kelly, daring her to follow him down a dangerous path from which only one can emerge.

“From its harrowing prologue to its haunting last paragraph, Michelle Gagnon masterfully crafts a stellar work of mounting suspense and terror. Ritual murder, ancient magic, and buried secrets … all blend seamlessly in this debut mystery by a major new talent. Not to be missed!”--James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of Black Order

“Michelle Gagnon’s stellar debut is an edge-of-your seat story of suspense and intrigue. FBI agent Kelly Jones is in a race against time to stop a series of gruesome murders on a pristine eastern college campus. With a deftly-crafted plot and a winning protagonist, Gagnon spins a fast-moving yarn that is certain to keep you up late. We will hear more from this talented newcomer. Highly recommended.”--Sheldon Siegel, New York Times bestselling author of The Confession

“The Tunnels starts out scary and only gets worse — or, if you like frightening thrillers — better. Michelle Gagnon is a fresh and confident new voice in crime fiction, and The Tunnels marks an auspicious debut.”--John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author of The Suspect and The Hunt Club

“A tantalizing premise, brilliantly executed, The Tunnels is a powerful Gothic-tinged thriller that hits the ground running and doesn’t let up until the final page. A riveting blend of Norse mythology, ritualized Ivy League murders, a sympathetic female FBI profiler and a ticking clock. So slick and polished it’s hard to believe this is Michelle Gagnon’s first book.”--Denise Hamilton, Edgar, Anthony, Macavity and Creasey Dagger finalist and author of Prisoner of Memory

“A great read. Scarily good. The Tunnels takes you into some very dark places, as a bright new talent takes on old-world horrors and scares the living daylights out of you. It’s The Wicker Man meets Silence of the Lambs.”--Tony Broadbent, author of The Smoke and Spectres in the Smoke, named by Booklist as one of the “Best Spy Novels of 2006″

“Michelle Gagnon has written a tremendously fine debut novel that’s as dark, twisty, and thrilling as the tunnels she so hauntingly describes therein. Expect to sleep with the lights on for at least a week after you’ve relished the final page.”--Cornelia Read, Edgar award nominee for best debut novel A Field of Darkness